Rail-lifting tool.



T. 0. BUSSLER.

RAIL UFTING TOOL.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 27. 1918.

1,285,926. Patented Nov. 26, 1918.

THOMAS O. RUSS LEE, OF WHEELERSBURG, OHIO.

RAIL-LIFTING TOOL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2c, 1918.

Application filed April 27, 1913. Serial in. 231,068.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS O. BUSSLER, of Wheelersburg, in the county of Scioto and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Lifting Tools; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to rail lifting tools and the object of the invention is to provide a tool of this character embodying simple and highly eificient means for readily securing a lifting purchaseon the rail in whatever position it may be found, without the necessity of first turning the rail.

In the accompanying-drawing, Figure 1 is a view in perspective. Fig. 2 shows the use of the tool where the rail is lying in its normal position. Fig. 3 shows the gripping of the rail when lying upside down. Fig. 4 shows the tool applied for turning a rail over. Fig. 5 shows rail gripped for carrying work-lways. Fig. 6 is a view showing the application of the tool of the end of a rail.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates the tool which is shown provided with a handle 2 of convenient size and length. The gripping end of a tool is slotted to form a 'aw for engaging the base of a rail, one wal 3, of the slot being on a line approximately parallel with the longitudinal axis of the tool, q

' and one side wall thereof, one ofsa1d walls while the complementary wall, 4, is at an angle thereto. By this arrangement the j aw is given a shape similar to the cross sectional contour of the base of a rail. In Fig. 3 I have shown the tool applied to the base of a rail for the purpose of turning it over.

In order that a rail lying in its' normal position, as in Fig. 2, may bereadily handled I providea tread engaging portion 5, the jaw of which is formed of walls 6 and 7 which intersect each other at approximately right angles, and two lugs 8 and 9, the lug 8 being spaced from, and lying in substantial parallelism with the wall 6, and the lug 9 bearing a like relation to the wall 7. The lug 9 thus hugs one side of the tread and wall 7 the other, wall 6 contacting with the tread proper and lug 8 fitting below the tread and close to the web of the rail.

The tool may be readily placed in this posit1on and the center of gravity will tend to hold it securely in transportation. In this position the lug 9 forms a fulcrum and lug application of the leverage.

8 is the point of The rail may be carried in this position without turning. Fig. 4' shows the use of the tool for turning the rail over. Here the lug 8 'is thefulcrum and the lug 9 the point at which the lever force is applied.

It will be apparent that I have provided a very simple means for effectively turning, or lifting and carrying, a rail and that the rail may be readily grasped by the tool without the adjustment of parts or the. necessity of having to previously turn the rail to present an engageable portion to the tool. In Fig. 6 I have shown how a rail maybe grasped at its end for a slight movement sidewise.

I claim as my invention:

1. A rail lifting tool having means for gripping the base of a rail, and means for gripping the tread of a rail.

2. A rail lifting tool having means for gripping the tread of a rail, and means for gripping the base of a railcomprising a tapered jaw of formation corresponding to that of the base.

3. A rail lifting toolhaving means for gripping the base of a rail, and a tread'engaging portion having. angular walls adapted to contact with the tread surface terminating in a lug adapted to engage the opposite side wall of said tread, and the other wall having a lug adapted to engage the under face of the tread and lie adjacent the web of the rail.

4. As an article of manufacture, a rail tool having a jaw of formation corresponding to that of the base of a rail and having a tread specification.

THOMAS O. BUSSLER. 

